Wrench.



, s. A. HOLMAN.

WRENCH. I A PPLIOATION FILED 11.14, 1900 f Patentedbeai l, 1909.

2 SHEETS-B11231: 1.

s'. A. HGLMAN.

WRENCH.

APPLIOATIOH-FILBD JAN. 14, 1909. 43,5Q5 Patented Dec. 14, 1909.

2 8HEETB-BHBET 2.

I T 2739 3611,80 UJ2 75 QWijLeow STEPHEN A. HOLT/IAN, OF SANTA IVIARIA, CALIFORNIA.

WRENCH.

sienna Specification of Letters .Patent.

Patented Dec. 14, 1909.

' Application filed January 14-, 1909. Serial 3E0. 472,366.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that l, STEPHEN A. HOLMAN, citizen of the United States,res1d1ng at Santa lviill'ltl, in the county of Santa Barbara and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Wrenches, of WlllCll the following is a specification litany types of wrenches have been devised for various work, but as av general rule they require to be adjusted to the work preliminary to thereby entailing loss of time and inconvenience in adapting the tool to the WOIlidl'l hand. i

The presentinvention supplies a wrench ot' the kind embodying a handle and pivoted jaws, and combining therewith novel means for positively and automatically closing the jaws upon the work by application of properly directed force to the handle after the wrench has been placed in position upon the work, the tool being effective -for operation either as a right or a left hand wrench according to the direction of oscillation of the handle.

In its organization the tool comprises a head, a handle for the head and having pivotal connection therewith, coiiperating jaws carried by the head and having a sliding connection therewith and with the handle, a flexible connection between the jaws and a stop havin sliding connection with both the head and handle, and springs cooper-ating with the several parts to-maintain them in a givenor normal position.

For a full miderstanding ol' the invention and the merits thereof and also to acquire a knowledge of the details of construction and the means for effecting the result, reference is to be had to the followingdescription and accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure l is a perspective view of a wrench illustrative of the preferred embodiment of the invention; Fig. is a plan view, one side plate and handle member being removed; 3 is central longitudinal section of the complete tool on the line :cw of Fig.2, a-portion oi the handle being broken away; Fig. & is a plan view of a modified form of wrench, the upper chain or flexible connection and the top plate being removed; is an edge view of the modification shown in 4:, the wrench head being in central longitudina suction; Fig. 6 is an end view of the modified form of j aw; and, Fi tie a perspective view of the same.

@orrespondin and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views ofLthe drawings by the same reference character The wrench head comprises like plates 1 spaced apart a proper distance and suitably connected by fastenings 2 and 3 which may consist of bolts, rivets or analogous fastening means. Each plate 1 is provided with a centrally disposed longitudinal slot slnotched along their edges as indicated at 5, said notches being inclined to form in effect teeth. The plates 1 may be formed in any manner either by being cast or cut from heavy sheet metal.

The handle is formed of similar members which are olfset intermediate of their ends to provide a grip portion 6 and a head portion 7, the grip portions 6 being brought together and connected in any substantial way andthe head portions 7 embracing opposite sides of the wrench head and having a longitudinal slot 8 formed in each. The terminal portions of the parts 7 are bent outward as indicated at 9 to form abutments to sustain the outer thrust of expansion springs 10 arranged exterior to the forward portions of the handle members. The handle members are pivotally connected to the inner or rear portion of the wrench head by means of the fastening 3 whose ends are extended and pass through openings formed in said handle members near their offset portions. The longitudinal slots 8 in thehead portions of the handle members register with the longitudinal slots a in the wrench head, so as to provide ways for pins or fastenings 11 and 12. It is to be understood that the handle may be of any formation so long as it provides portions en'ibracing opposlte sides of the wrench head and has longitudinal slots in the parts embracing the wrench head to receive the end portions of the pins or fastenings 11 and 12, said handle having ivotal connection with the rear portion of the wrench head.

Cooperating jaws 13 and let are fitted t0 the head of the wrench and have end portions arranged to come between the plates of the wrench head and pivotally connected by means of the pin or fastening 12. The opposite end portions of the jaws'project beyond the head of the wrench and are 0ppositely curved and may be toothed or otherwise formed, so as to'make positive engagement with the work and prevent slipping when the tool is in operation. A slot 15 is I of the jaws 13 and 14. ,The

preferably placed bet-ween the plates 1 andprovided in each jaw and receives the adjacentfnstening 2 connecting the forward corner portions of the plates 1. The slots 15 have an outward flared arrangement, so as to cause a relative inward or closing movement of the jaws whenthe latter receive a rearward movement with reference to the head of the wrench. The jaws are of substantial formation, so as to resist strain and provide a reliable and effective tool.

A flexible connection is interposed between the forward extremities of the jaws 13 and M and the pin 11 whose projecting ends form stops for the expansion springs 10. The flexible connection preferably consists of a chain formed of suitably constructed links pivotaily connected in any practical way. When the parts are assembled the flexible connection has its middle portion 16' extended between the forward extremities of the jaws and its remaining portions 17 ex tended between the extremities of the respective and the pin or fastening 11. it will be observed that the remaining portions 17 are rearwardly converged and normally stand inward from the ripb ing faces in e it tion has a running connection with the-end portions of the jaws 13 and 14:, thereby admitting of said jaws closing and opening. Rollers 18 are fitted to the extremities of the jaws and receive the' flexible connection which passes therearound, thereby admitting of the parts cooperating with a small amount of resistance. The expansion springs 10 exert a rearward pressure upon "the pin or part 11 and since the extremities of the flexible connection are attached. to said pin, there is a normal tendency to move the ends of the. flexible connection, thereby maintaining said flexible connection under a given tension at all times, which results in maintaining the same taut. 4

An expansion spring 19 is interposed between the ends of the jaws l3 and 14. and.

the rear portion of the wrench head and is the pins or fastenings 3 and 12. 'l he expansion spring; 19 nornmlly exerts an outward pressure upon the jaws l3 and l t to force. the same forward in position with the tastening 2 at the inner or rear end of the slots 15 and with the projecting ends of the jaws spread or separated to their maximum. extent.

To use the tool the same is placed with the part 16 of the flexible connection against the work and pressure is exerted in a forward longitudinal direction upon the handle, thereby causing the part 16 to move rearward between the jaws, and the pin or part 11 to move forward against the tension of the springs 10 which are com iressed. After the. part- ;ttS'lr s moved rearward a certain distance and the springs 10 have been sulr and 1/ move rearward with reference to the head of the wrench they simnltaneonsly ad- Vance or close upon the work, this being due to the forwardly diverged slots 15 riding upon the fastenings 2. Afterthe jaws have taken a firm hold upon the work the handle may be oscillated in one or the other direction according to the desired rotation of the work to eil'ect the required result. As the handle is' oscillated the pins 11 and 12 receive a relative lateral movement and are carried into certain notches 5 with the resuit that the jaws and flexible connection are locked to the head of the wrench. The springs 10 and 19 haven tendency to ,aline the parts, that is to hold the handle in longitudinal alinement with the head of the 'wrench, so as to bring the slots 4 in the plates 1 in registry with the slots Sin the i andle members, thereby holding the pins as work gripping means to prevent s ipping of the tool when subjected to Working pressure. v

in the modification illustrated in Fig. t and the detail views thereof two chains or flexible connections 17..are provided and are located upon 0 posits sides of the wrench head and jaws. d3 20 is provided and re laces the expansion springs 10 shown in lg. 1 and the detail views thereof. This spring 20 is arranged between the plates 1 forming the wrench head and is confined between the centerfas tening 2 and the pin or fastening 11. The spring 20 serves the same purpose as the springs 10 and normally presses the nner fastening 11 rearward, so as to hold the chains or flexible connections tent. The jaws 13 and 14? are widened at'their outer ends to provide heads 21, the end portions of which upon opposite sides of i1l1& l@0d3! of the jaws are notched, asindicated at 2%,

.ing deflected by the wort: to one side of the planes of the gripping edges or the jaws.

single expansion spring" work and preventing slipping of the wrench.

The inner ends of the aws are formed with points 24'which are adapted to enter the outer end. of the spring 19 and center the same.

The wrench just described operates in substantially the manner previously described.

Having thus described the invention what i is claimed as new is: 1

1. A tool of the nature and for the pur poses herein specified, the same comprising a head, a handle connected to the head and g movable with reference thereto, cooperating jaws fitted to the head and having both a pivotal and a sliding connection therewith,

means coiiperating with said vjaws to effect a closing of the same upon the work when applying properly directed pressure to the handle, and means for locking the jaws, and jaw closing means to the wrench head and actuated by said handle and thrown into and out of operative osition thereby.

2. In a tool of the nature set forth the combination ofa head, a handle in cooperative relation with said head, cooperating jaws pivotally mo'unted upon the head and having a sliding movement with reference thereto, and a flexible or linked'connection between the free ends 1 of said jaws. and adapted to effect a closing thereof upon the work by properly directed force applied to the handle.

3. In a tool substantially as set forth the combination of a head provided with a handle, cooperating jaws mounted upon the head, a flexible connection cooperating with said jaws to effect a closing thereof upon the Work upon application of properly directed force to the handle, and a spring connection between the-said flexible connection and the handle of the tool.

4. In combination a head having an o crating handle, cooperating jaws slidab y mounted upon the head, coiiperating means between said jaws and head to eflect a clos-' ing of the jaws simultaneously with a relative sliding movement thereof, a flexible connection between the jaws and adapted to engage with the work and supplement the action of the aforesaid jaw closing means,

and a spring connection between said flexible connection and the handle of the tool.

5. In combination a head provided with an operating handle, jaws mounted upon the head and adapted to have a relative sliding movement, cooperating means between the jaws and head to effect a closing of the jaws when moved rearward, a spring connection between the jaws and head to normally exert an outward-pressure upon the jaws, a flexible connection between said jaws to make positiveengagement with the work and supconnection plement the action of the jaw closing means, and a spring connection between said flexible connection and the handle to normally exert a rearward force upon said flexible connection.

6. In combination a head, an operating handle having pivotal connection with the head, cooperating jaws mounted upon the head and having both pivotal and slidable 1 connection therewith, cooperating means between said jaws and head to effect a closing j of the jaws upon rearward movement there j of, a spring connection normally tending to I l I press the jaws outward, a flexible connection between the jaws and head and adapted to engage with the work and supplement the action of the jaw closing means, a spring connection between said flexible connection and the handle, and locking means between said jaws, flexible connection and head to secure the parts in working position and adapted to be actuated by the operating handle to be turned into and out of operative position thereby.

7. In combination a head, an operating handle pivotally connected to said head, both the handle and head having registering slots, cooperating jaws mounted upon 'the head and having slidable connection therewith, cooperating means between saidijaws simultaneously with a rearward movement thereof, a pivot fastening connecting the inner ends of the jaws and operating in the registering slots of the head and handle, a flexible connection between the jaws and adapted to engage with the work and sup plement the action of the jaw closing means, a fastening connecting the ends of said flexible connection and operation in the registering slots of the head and handle, a spring normally exerting an outward pressure upon the jaws to hold the latter spread, and another spring exerting an inward pressure upon said flexible connection to hold the same taut.

8. In combination a tool of the variety specified, the same comprising a head provlded with an operating handle, c'oi perating connection with the ends of the jaws and having a portion extended between'the jaws, and its remaining portions rearwardly converged, a fastenin ,connecting the rear portions of the fiexib e connection and having slidable connection with the head, and a. spring normally exerting a force upon said.

taut.

handle havin portions embracing opposite sides of the operating jaws mounted upon the head, a

jaws having pivotal connectionv with the head, a flexible connection having running to hold the flexible connection and head to effect a closing of the jaws 9. In combination a head, an operating ead and provided with outwardly extending parts forming stops, co-

Jiexihhcnnnection having running connechuddle the space im'nmd be:

lion \vim'thr: jaws mu! pm L'i n exi'vnded ncn tween them and hzu'ing its remaining p H0115 vem'wm'dly wnverged, a fast nesting the remaining portions of sad ('3. ble comma-Hon and having its ha x'ing and omtions the head and parts of fhe handle embracin said head, a, spring exe g'bing m outwar force upon the jaws, 11 Swing exerting a rearward pressure upon the fastening connectiv the remaining portions 0f said fiexiblc connection, the parts being arranged to admi of zantomaiic closing of the jaws and arranged to operate in hmgiiud al skis :1 making the same when closet the 100kiormcd 1n the head and 1n the pr 3 of the m means hemg turned 111w and out of 0phzmdhr embrawmg" sand head, and spl'lnggrs 1nermmn h rota tl've mevemgniof th operatterposed between the projec' fastening and the outer porimzis of the separated parts of said handle.

1.0. A tool of the prising a head hm' having noi'ches 21011 a handle pivoted 1;: ingspaced pm'liuna a A head .nnd hm'hw Hons, 0053p? h1g handle.

Eng :1 head pmvided with an operating handle :mi'ipernimg jFlWS mounted uprm the u fiembla connection between thQJil-WS the enter LN HGLMAIE [L s.]

F1551 ma, @GDEN.

11. A tool 01' the nature specified compris and with 

